The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1887-01-14
TALK ABOUT MEN.
Persons Of Prominence, Regarding Whom In
teresting Things Are Heard.

Lieutenant governor Robertson is man OF
COOL unostentatious courage. He is thoroughly
substantial and possessed of an imperturbability
| that preserves to him clear head under the
most exciting circumstances 1t is not probable
that there is another man in the State who could
better fill the difficult position to which he has
been called, meet with better address and
| skill the turbulent exigencies Of the time. TO
| show the mettle Of which Colonel Robertson is
made, it is said of him that he was called
upon to carry dispatches during the war
at hot fight at Tolopotomy Creek. Va.
Three officers, in attempting to do the service.
had been shot down. He was told this by the
| general, who dwelt upon the danger, thus Civ
| ing him opportunity to decline. The reply
was characteristic of this quiet. earnest and
brave man. "Of course I'll co." was his an
| swer; that's what I'm here for" He had been
previously wounded at Spottsylvania, and in this
| latter service at Toiopotomy creek. most i'm
portant one. he succeeded, though shot through
| the abdomen from the front of the right hip to
| the back of the left For his services he re-
| ceived two brevet commissions-one, that OF
| captain, from the President of the United
States, and the other that of colonel, from the
| Governor of the State of New York. This is
the man upon whom the Knights of the Golden
| Circus, headed by Green Smith are preparing
| to train their wooden guns, beginning to-day.
81, for one, know that Senator Voorhees,, at the
beginning of the war, was given irst-class op-
po-tunty to come over fairly and squarely to
| the side Of the Union" said Col. j. A. Brdgland
| to Journal reporter II knew Mr.. Voorhees,
| we'll before the war. He is genial companion
and fast friend. But he is never great in great
affairs. He is a man of impulse, frequently
moved to do good things, and quite as often
| moved to do things he should not debut never
a mean thing. The Second Indiana Cavalry. of
which was colonel. then had their camp on
| what was the Jones farm, about four miles north
| of the city. The boys had received drilling on
foot for three weeks and had received their
horses about a week before two visitors came
out to camp in carriage to see me- One was
| United States Senator Pugh, of Cincinnati, and
the other Mr. Voorhees,. They were both old
friends of mine, and dress parade was just
coming on they came out from my tent and sat
on the fence to see the evoutions of the green
cavalrymen. After the parade was over, called
the men together on foot and told them that two
distinguished gentlemen would address them Mr..
Voorhees, reluctant to speak, but
insisted and at length he consented. Mr.. Pugh
made short and pretty speech that meant lit
tie or nothing Now said /, Mr. Voorhees,,
make speech for your country. Be q man; all
you hold dear is here-wife children and friends
He started in as if ne really intended to say
something, but after the first half sem
fences he seemed to lose fire and / his
speech did not please the boys. His concluding
words were something like this: Soldiers, go to
l
Fight like gentlemen, and remember that while
you are fighting for your government the men
who will oppose you In battle are fighting for
what they believe to be their government
| After the speeches over, said to Mr.
Voorhees,, why don't you come into the army?
Governor Morton will give you a colonelcv. l
will speak to him about it, asked him if he
would accept acolonelcy. He said he would an
swer when the offer made Well, know
| positively that Governor Morton soon after that
did tender him a commission as colonel He hes
| itated to accept, but believe he would have taken
it had it been that ne consulted with friends,
who, like himself, were opposed to the war, who
persuaded him to refuse know Governor Nor
ton gave him this opportunity to serve his coun-
try. Afterward Mr.. Voorhees,. at Greeneastle,
made bitter anti-war speech, which came near
resulting in his being lynched. 1t was only
Governor Morton's personal effort that saved
him. for the war feeling ran very high. When
Senator Voorhees, voted for John Morton for col
| lector at San francisco he was remembering
Fast favors from the hands of his father, Oliver
T. Morton. and Mr. Voorhees, can never be
charged with being an ungrateful man."
Maj Levi Ferguson, of Martinsville, Morgan
county, is at the Denison, to remain until af-
fairs quiet down somewhat He is an earnest
and Woodworking Republican for the sake of
the cause, and not for Office. It is only in
later years that he has been resident of Mar
tnsville. He went there from Pike county,
|
years he was thorn in the side of the domino n,
party. There was time when there were but
about half dozen Republicans in the county
who were not afraid to make public speeches
in campaign years, and the Major was
one of them. When the broke on,
he Was but nineteen years of age. yet ready
speaker and debater who was feared by many
of the old wheel-horse of the Democratic party
Pike county was hot-bed for rebels, and mer
of Mr.. Fergusors fervor and temperament were
liable to be lyrched at any time. He often tells
of the many narrow escapes he had, and laughs
over them now. There was one township in
| the county in which it was boosted that nj
| Black Republican could make a speech This
was during the campaign of 1863. Mr.. Fergu
, son heard of the threat. and had an appon tmen
| made at school house in the heart of rebe
> settlement HIS friends pleaded with him not t,
| 60, but he did not heed them. On the evenin.
, of his engagement he borrowed two large revolv
> ers. and. being unable to get companion, wen
| alone to the school house. When he reached tn
. | door he found the school-house packed with
= determined set OF men. He walked up the aisle o
); the room amid Kisses and groans. He laid OF
d his overcoat, and. drawing the two revolvers on
l. | of his pockets. laid them on the table befor
l. him, saying: Il came here to make speech
(; AS long / am not disturbed I will us
) my mouth, but if any man attempt
5, disturbance will use my companions here.
r Quiet reigned, and he made what he now ad
}; inits to have been the best speech of his life
!, He was but twenty years of age and was can
J. didate for some Office. His age, his speech an
l. his cool display OF grit so won the audienc
t; that he got the majority of votes in the town
?. Ship which had never before cast but two Re
}. publican votes. Mr. Ferguson serve
Is through the war and attained the rank g
: colonel Later he filled several offices i
(. Pike county. and was the only Republican VIII
was ever elected. He made run for Cor
gress against James D. Williams ex- Governor
and came near beating the old gentleman. n
is an unassumng gentleman, but when he ge,
stirred up is terror. He has served sever.
"a terms as county attorney for Morgan count,
-, and has been favorably spoken of candid al
~ for Congress. He is disguised at the legisatiy
muddle, and favors throwing Green Smith OF
e, by main force, as about the only treatment thu
TO | ha dacervas